March signals the start of free agency across the NFL. For everyone except the Green Bay Packers that is. While the rest of the league traditionally dabbles in the free agent process by courting players from other teams, the Packers, under general manager Ted Thompson, have traditionally stood watch from the sidelines. But with money...

Unless Ted is planning on completely cleaning house of all The Packers UrFA's, I just don't see where there is much money to be spent elsewhere.

"While the Packers will have decisions to make on defensive tackle B.J. Raji, nose tackle Ryan Pickett, tight end Jermichael Finley and center Evan Dietrich-Smith among others, the Packers will still likely have enough room to pursue other players outside their organization."

Of The four players the writer listed, EDS is the only one I expect back that would cost significant money, Pickett will come back at a very low cost or he will go elsewhere.

Raji and Finley will be offered more money elsewhere and will probably be gone, but that still leaves Shields, Jolly, Wilson, Neal, Francois, Lattimore, Jennings and Banjo on the defensive side....Quarless, Flynn, Kuhn, Jones, and Starks on offense.

I don't expect all of them back, but Shields alone is going to take up anywhere from 6-9 mil(depending on source), then there is the money for signing the rookies, plus Ted has always kept money in reserve for injury emergencies.

This FA talk, imho, still starts with what The Packers do with Tramon Williams, he is the one guy who's contract can be reworked, adding significant money to use this year in FA.

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Unless Ted is planning on completely cleaning house of all The Packers UrFA's, I just don't see where there is much money to be spent elsewhere.

This FA talk, imho, still starts with what The Packers do with Tramon Williams, he is the one guy who's contract can be reworked, adding significant money to use this year in FA.

You said everything I was about to write after reading the initial post. If and only if Tramon is willing to restructure do I see any real movements in FA, and as had been said before in other threads, it takes two to tango. The Packers pursued FAs in the past, e.g. Steven Jackson, but he opted not to come to the Packers.

The article that was also written off this said "up to five outside free agents" which then made me stop reading the entire thing because seriously, do they REALLY think Ted Thompson is going to go after five outside (of the Packers) free agents? C'mon now...

If anything, I hope the Packers do dabble in outside free agency and sign at least one big player. While I found the news extremely unrealistic, it played with my mind a bit thinking about who the Packers could pick up. Three names come to my mind immediately.

Top 2Brian Orakpo- Imagine the possible pass rush he brings opposite side Clay Matthews. He's strong, athletic and also rushes strong side. This pick up would give Capers the versatility the Packers have been speaking about the past week or so. The reason safety is not my #1 is because I think this is a strong draft for safeties.

T.J. Ward- Young safety looking for a payday. Supposedly he wants to stay in Cleveland though (at least someone does?). This would shore up the defensive backfield a bit and pairing him with Burnett might just help Burnett's game as they play together. No more second-third rate safeties, please.

OthersHenry Melton- Torn ACL, recent public intoxication/assault arrest and already once franchise tagged by the Bears, there's a good chance he might not be back with the Bears and might not be too costly. He's a risk but he is a disruptive (and bigger) defensive lineman. Something the Packers can use for their pass rush.

Jason Worilds- He's looking for a starting gig and the Steelers can't promise him that. Aside from Clay Matthews, Worilds could most likely out-perform anyone else at OLB on the Packers roster. Would be on the cheaper end of FA-OLBs.

I know all this is a stretch, but since it is being put out there by the media outside of Green Bay it doesn't hurt to talk about it.

If it is going to happen, it is about time to do it. Only a couple year window before Rodgers and Matthews contract will be looked at again and when Lacy will be ready for a contract also.

Grab FA and spend money, and draft youth to develop behind them.

What SHOULD happen and what WILL happen may be two very different things. I agree with you completely, but it would take a drastic departure from the Ted Thompson way.

The post(s) above I have the biggest quarrel with are those saying we somehow CAN'T - we can't get one or two quality free agents and still re-sign the guys we need to keep? COME ON! First of all, if other teams can do it, certainly the Packers can. More importantly, though, there is creative financing to stay within the cap. I see no reason why we can't, for example, save $6 million plus cap money by extending/restructuring Tramon Williams - and I mean without degrading him by forcing him to take a worse deal to avoid being cut. Lang and Sitton should be similar situations. Nelson and later Cobb should be signable with big back-loaded contracts. If I and other posters can calculate cap-friendly deals, certainly Thompson and his gang can do that - IF they are disposed to try.

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What SHOULD happen and what WILL happen may be two very different things. I agree with you completely, but it would take a drastic departure from the Ted Thompson way.

The post(s) above I have the biggest quarrel with are those saying we somehow CAN'T - we can't get one or two quality free agents and still re-sign the guys we need to keep? COME ON! First of all, if other teams can do it, certainly the Packers can. More importantly, though, there is creative financing to stay within the cap. I see no reason why we can't, for example, save $6 million plus cap money by extending/restructuring Tramon Williams - and I mean without degrading him by forcing him to take a worse deal to avoid being cut. Lang and Sitton should be similar situations. Nelson and later Cobb should be signable with big back-loaded contracts. If I and other posters can calculate cap-friendly deals, certainly Thompson and his gang can do that - IF they are disposed to try.

Yeah, yeah - you're the clown that thinks a person can live like a king on $1,200 a month. I say Matthews is the guy that should be taking a pay cut. What do we get about 12 games a year out of him. Tramon can just play out the contract he has and hopefully Hayward will be ready to take over by then.

Yeah, yeah - you're the clown that thinks a person can live like a king on $1,200 a month. I say Matthews is the guy that should be taking a pay cut. What do we get about 12 games a year out of him. Tramon can just play out the contract he has and hopefully Hayward will be ready to take over by then.

They just gave Matthews his contract last year right? They aren't going to be redoing it this soon.

As far as Williams goes I think it comes down to whether or not the Packers want to keep him after this year. If they do then they can easily come up with some sort of extension that will give him his 7.5 million his year and still ease the cap hit. If they have no interest in resigning him after this season they might as well cut him loose now and use the 7.5 million on someone they want to have around.

You have said (at least I think it was you) that Williams has no incentive to renegotiate or restructure or basically do anything that would help the Packers cap wise. If he plays this year he is guaranteed 7.5 million dollars so why would he do anything to change that. The thing is the 7.5 million is only guaranteed if the Packers keep him. I could easily see them parting ways with him a year earlier if they don't have plans on keeping him around after this year. Let them cut his ass and see if he can get 7.5 million from someone else.

The thing is he may be worth the 7.5 million but if there is a chance that they can get him to reduce the cap hit you can be damned sure they will try. My suggestion would be to sign him to a three year extension/restructure. Pay him a million in salary this season and a roster bonus of .5 million at some point and convert the remaining 6 million into a SB (he gets a check for 6 million immediately and doesn't have to wait for game checks (that should be an incentive right there) the only thing would be if they can agree on an acceptable salary for the remaining 3 years keeping in mind he will have a cap hit of 1.5 million for each of the next three years from the signing bonus. By my calculation that would reduce his cap hit this year by 4 or 4.5 million. Easily enough to keep a couple of our lower tier guys if we want.

Every team has fans that fans of other teams point to and say "all their fans are assholes" Don't be one of those fans.

The thing is he may be worth the 7.5 million but if there is a chance that they can get him to reduce the cap hit you can be damned sure they will try.

I just think you're playing with fire when you do shit like that. Why fuck with these guy's heads like that. The guy tackles like a woman, but he still covers pretty well and he came up big for us in the past. If we cut him, he won't be out of work very long. It really isn't about Tramon, it's about the faith we have in Hampton - and of course if we can resign Shields.

I just think you're playing with fire when you do shit like that. Why fuck with these guy's heads like that. The guy tackles like a woman, but he still covers pretty well and he came up big for us in the past. If we cut him, he won't be out of work very long. It really isn't about Tramon, it's about the faith we have in Hampton - and of course if we can resign Shields.

now the fucking with a guys head thing is a legit argument but if he is getting all he has coming to him, in this case the 7.5 million in salary he is due (please check the very last part of my previous post, I made an edit while you were replying and I think you missed my suggestion for a possible deal) I don't see how it is bad for him. Obviously if he thinks he can cash in on a bigger deal after next year he may not want to go for it and see what comes from the FA market next year. Also your point about not wanting to keep him around after next year anyway is also valid and obviously if they are not interested him past this year my suggestion is moot. On the other hand, if it all comes together, like I said, I fail to see why you wouldn't give it a try.

Every team has fans that fans of other teams point to and say "all their fans are assholes" Don't be one of those fans.

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